Measuring bottle-stopper.



No. 644,026. Patented Feb. 20, I906.

w.-n. WORTHEN.

MEASURING BOTTLE STUPPER.

(Application filed Jan. 8, 1899.]

(I10 Hodel.)

THE Nonms Prrzns cu, vnm o-Llmou WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. WORTHEN, OF BIG STONE CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA.

M EASURING BOTTLE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,026, dated February20, 1900.

Application filed January 3, 1899. $eria1No. 700,877. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. WoRTHEN, of Big Stone City, in the countyof Grant and State of South Dakota, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Bottle-Stoppers, of which the following is aspecification.

The purpose of this invention is to enable persons Without the use of aspoon or other similar gage or implement to accurately measure liquidsfrom a bottle or other vessel or receptacle in which a stopper is usedwithout danger of losing any of the contents by spilling or otherwise,using for that purpose a hollow stopper in whichthe required quantity ofthe liquid can be poured. The liquid when thus measured in the stoppercan be administered to the patient or otherwise used without the use ofa spoon by simply inserting the lower or shank end of the stopper intothe mouth and allowing the contents to escape.

The stoppers are so formed that when in the bottle the entire contentsof the stopper will drain back into the bottle.

In this invention is comprised abottle-stopper formed of a hollowchamber, having a shank projecting therefrom and fitting the neck of thebottle, and with a conduit leading through the shank into the. chamber,and with a dam or shield over the open end of the conduit within thechamber, whereby means are provided for extracting a portion of thecontents of the bottle and retaining it in the stopper.

In this invention is also comprised a bottlestopper formed of a hollowchamber, having a shank projecting therefrom and 'fitting the neck ofthe bottle, and with two or more conduits leading through the shank intothe chamber.

In this invention is also comprised a bottlestopper formed of a hollowchamber, having a shank projecting therefrom and fitting the neck of thebottle, and with two or more conduits leading through the shank into thechamber, one of the conduits being larger than the other to acceleratethe action.

In this invention is also comprised a bottlestopper formed of a hollowchamber, having a shank projecting therefrom, and with one or moreconduits leading through the shank into the chamber, and with a sleeveof cork or other suitable material inclosin g said shank and adapted tofit the neck of the bottle, all as hereinafter shown and described, andspecifically pointed outin the claims.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown the drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a sectional view of a bottle with one of my improvedstoppers in place therein, the bottle being shown tilted to allow aportion of the contents to run into the chamber in the stopper. Fig. 2is a similar view with the bottle shown in the position of beingreturned to its upright position and with the hollow stopper retaining aportion of the liquid. Fig. 3 is aview of one of the stoppers removed.Fig l is a plan view of the stopper from the inner or shank end. Figs.5, 6, and '7 are sectional views of stoppers, illustrating modificationsin the construction.

The stopper is formed of a closed hollow chamber A, having a shank Aprojecting therefrom and adapted to fit into the neck B of the bottle13* or other vessel and form the closure thereto, as shown. The shank Amay be fitted to the interior of the neck of the bottle, as shown inFigs. 2 and 6, or a sleeve D, of cork or other suitable material, may beemployed to surround the shank and form a packing to secure therequisite liquid and air tight joint, as well as to provide for theadaptation of one-sized stopper to several sizes of bottles by usingdifferent sizes of sleeves, as hereinafter. shown. The combined chamberand shank A A are preferably formed of transparent glass, and the shankwill be provided with a conduit d, connecting the chamber with theinterior of the bottle.

In Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 6 a secondary conduit (1 is formed through theshank parallel to the conduit (1, the secondary conduit being of smallerdiameter than the main conduit, while in Fig. 7 a secondary conduit d isshown of the same diameter as the main conduit (1. The secondaryconduits form means for the escape of the air from the chamber in thestopper into the body of the bottle when the stopper is being used, ashereinafter explained.

A curved dam E may be employed within the chamber A, arranged to coverthe open ends of the conduits d 61 d as shown, to hold back the liquidand assist the action of filling the stopper.

The shank A as before stated, may be surrounded by a sleeve of cork orother suitable material to form a packing, so that the stoppers may beconstructed of one uniform size and the sizes of the sleeves varied tofit the different sizes of bottles.

In using the device the bottle is tilted with the open end e of the damE downward, as shown in Fig. 1, until the requisite quantity of theliquid has run into the chamber A, when the bottle will be turnedone-half over and tilted up, as shown in Fig. 2, when the liquid whichhas run into the chamber will remain therein and will not run out againwhen the bottle is righted. This forms a very convenient means forextracting a portion of the contents of the bottle and placing it in aconvenient position to be administered to a patient either by himself orby another person and without the necessity of providing a spoon orother medium for conveying the liquid. It provides a cleanly andconvenient method of extracting and ad ministering doses of medicineswithout danger of mixing different kinds of medicines or infecting onepatient with the diseases of another by using one spoon for differentpatients. It will also be found very convenient for use while travelingor when it is desired to extract a portion of the contents of the bottlein localities where it is not convenient to use a spoon and whereaccuracy of measurement is required.

If the liquid in the bottle is thin or flows readily, the form ofconstruction shown in Fig. 5 will be found advantageous, as the largeconduit cl alone will provide for the vent or the escape of the air fromthe chamber along the top of the conduit, while the liquid flows outthrough the bottom in the oppo site direction, the dam in thatconstruction insuring a greater quantity being retained in the chamberthan could be retained Without the dam.

When the liquid is thick or turbid, as it generally is in medicalcompounds, the form of conduit shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 6 or 7 willbe employed, the secondary conduit cl or (i forming a vent for theescape of the air from the chamber to the bottle, and thus insuring thefree flow of the liquid into the chamber, no matter how thick it may be.

In Fig. 7 the conduits are of the same size, which may be the preferableconstruction under some circumstances.

The dam E is a very important feature of my invention, as it insures theretention of a greater quantity of the liquid in the stopper withoutincreasing its size than could be done if the dam were not employed.

The bulb forming the chamber A will be provided with graduations, asshown in Fig; 3, to serve as a guide to denote the quantity of liquidwhich flows into the chamber.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture a bottle stopper consisting of aclosed chamber having a shank adapted to fit into and form the closureto the neck of the bottle and with two or more cond uits through saidshank and leading into said closed chamber and with a dam covering theopen ends of said conduits within said closed chamber, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. As a new article of manufacture a bottlestopper consisting of aclosed chamber having a shank adapted to fit into and form the closureto the neck of the bottle and with two or more conduits through saidshank and of unequaldiameters and leadingintosaid closed chamber,and adam covering the open ends I of said conduits within said closed chamberand open on the side next the larger of said conduits, substantially asset forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a bottlestopper consisting of aclosed chamber havin g a shank projecting therefrom and adapted to fitinto and form the closure to the bottle and with a conduit through saidshank and leading into said closed chamber and with a dam covering theopen end of said conduit within said chamber, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM D. IVORTHEN.

In presence of MORTON BARRoWs, C. N. WooDWARD.

